In a bold move, New York City plans to distribute fliers at the southern border, warning migrants of the limited assistance they may receive if they decide to come there. Mayor Eric Adams made the announcement, emphasizing that the city simply cannot handle any more migrants, having already taken in 90,000 since April last year.
“We have no more room,” stated the leader of America’s largest city.
The move comes as Republican-led states have been transporting migrants to Democratic-run areas in protest of border policies. The fliers, printed in both English and Spanish, urge migrants to “please consider another city as you make your decision about where to settle in the US.” They caution that New York City’s cost of living, including food, transportation, and other necessities, is expensive, and the city cannot guarantee housing and other social services for new arrivals.
With a population of 8.3 million people, New York City declared itself “at capacity” in a statement.
As part of the plan, Mayor Adams, a Democrat, also announced changes for single adult migrants, who will now be limited to staying in the city’s shelters for 60 days and will need to reapply for a space afterward. The city will work to assist migrants in finding housing with relatives and friends.
Blaming the federal and state government for insufficient aid, Mayor Adams expressed that the city cannot continue to shoulder the burden of absorbing tens of thousands of newcomers without additional support. He called for assistance from the state and federal governments.
Presently, a record 105,800 people are residing in New York City’s shelters, with over 54,000 being asylum seekers, according to the city’s data.
Critics of Mayor Adams’ plan argue that it violates the city’s right-to-shelter rules, which ensure temporary housing for those in need. Attempting to weaken those rules amid the influx of migrants, Mr. Adams’ new measures have sparked backlash, with the American Civil Liberties Union of New York denouncing the plan as “cruel” and “unlawful.” The organisation sees the plan as contrary to New Yorkers’ values of compassion and care.
In recent months, Mayor Adams has taken several steps to try to limit new migrant arrivals. In May, he announced a plan to send willing migrants to nearby counties outside of the city, which drew criticism from some local New York officials.
The Republican-led states transporting migrants to Democratic-run jurisdictions, also known as “sanctuary” cities, aim to exert pressure on President Joe Biden, a Democrat, to take stronger actions to reduce the number of migrants crossing the southern US border. The issue remains a contentious one, with both sides advocating for their respective immigration policies.
